Canine Flu outbreak has been in news recently. We want you to know that no case have been reported in Minnesota, this is good news! Keeping your pets up to date on vaccines and keeping them out of the dog parks where infections can easily spread from one to another are some good ways to help protect your pet.

Chocolate Toxicity in pets can be a dangerous thing and around Halloween we need to be extra cautious as we have chocolate candy stocked up for the trick-o-treaters. Please be cautious about your pet getting into the chocolate and if they do please give us a call immediately. For more information check out these websites on chocolate toxicity in Dogs and Cats.

Algae is common in our lakes and rivers, but at high levels a type called Blue-Green Algae can form and make people and our pets sick. If you see algae in the water and it looks “pea soupy” and has a smell keep out of the water. Blue- Green Algae can cause a fever, vomiting, irritation to skin, eyes, and nasal passages. If you or your pet have come in contact with Blue- Green Algae contact your doctor or veterinarian. For more information on Blue- Green Algae click here.

There is a new rodenticide (rat poison) that many manufactures have been forced to switch to due to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) decision to prohibit the use of long- acting warfarin anticoagulants (d-con). This new rodenticide Bromethalin is a faster acting and leaves less time for owners to get their pets help if they were to ingest Bromethalin. With anticoagulation poisoning veterinarians typically had 3-5 days to treat, but now with the new faster onset of Bromethalin veterinarians have less then 2 hours to get treatment started. Bromethalin DOES NOT have an antidote. d-CON has now made the switch to comply with the EPA, BUT they are using Diphacinone which is a first generation anticoagulant longer acting AND can also can be treated with Vitamin K. So when you buy rat poison please look for ones with the active ingredient Diphacinone. Click here for more information on Bromethalin.

We have a new scent in our Pet Odor Exterminator Candles! We now have Pineapple Coconut (seasonal scent). We still have our Creamy Vanilla scent in stock as well. These candles are great for eliminating unwanted pet odor. Stop by today to check out our new (and old) scents!

Tularemia was confirmed in a cat from Dakota County (Apple Valley area) on July 1st, 2014. Tularemia is a zoonotic disease (can affect a wide range of animals and humans) that is caused by a bacteria called Francisella tularensis. Tularemia can be transmitted by horseflies, ticks and through contact with infected animals (though it is not transmitted person- to- person). Dogs are relatively resistant to the infection, however, cases have been reported. Cats that are outdoor or outdoor/indoor cats are at higher risk and can get infected with after hunting an infected rodent or rabbit, however, tularemia has been reported in indoor cats that have no obvious exposure. Clinical signs, in animals, are usually high fever, lethargy, lymphadenopathy and ulcerations of the tongue and palate. This cat is only the fifth cat to be reported in Minnesota since 2008. Humans can also acquire tularemia, though it is not transmitted person-to-person. The incubation period for tularemia in humans is generally 2-5 days (range, 2-14 days). Acute symptoms include sudden onset of fever, chills, joint and muscle pain, headache, and nausea. Please consult your healthcare provider and notify MDH if you have symptoms consistent with tularemia and have recently cared for a suspect tularemia patient.

Mosquitoes, ticks and fleas are still out and we have the protection your pet needs to stay safe outside this fall. We have chewable tablets to prevent heartworm and other internal parasites for both cats and dogs with rebates on each. We also have Frontline Plus, the topical liquid, to protect your cat and dog from fleas and ticks with free doses when you buy 3 or 6 doses. And for dogs we also now have NexGard, chewable flea and tick protection from the makers of Frontline Plus. NexGard kills the dog tick, deer tick (carries Lyme Disese) and lone star tick so your dog will be covered this summer in the woods even if you don’t want to put on a liquid topical medication. We can also price match other companies just bring in a print out of what product and the price. Ask us about these and other products we have to help keep your pets safe this summer and fall.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition is voluntarily recalling 62 bags of Science Diet Adult Small and Toy Breed dry dog food due to possible contamination with Salmonella. While the suspected food was only distributed to stores in Hawaii, Nevada and California, we want you to be aware of this in case you travel there or know anyone who lives there that may use this food. Please follow this link to find out more information on the recall. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please feel free to call us at 763-574-9892.

Pro-Pet pet food company has issued a voluntary recall on certain dry dog and cat foods. There was a two day window in which the pet food produced may have been contaminated with Salmonella. There have been no reports of illness as of today but people should be aware of this issue. Please check out the FDA’s posting of this recall for complete information on what brands and lots are recalled. If you have any concerns about this or if your pet has consumed any of the recalled product and you have any health concerns for your pet, please call us at 763-574-9892.